Canadian Gov't to match donations dollar for dollar

Government of Canada to Match Generosity of Canadians in Response to the Devastating Earthquake in Haiti

2010-01-14

Ottawa―The Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of International Cooperation, today announced that Canada will match individual donations to registered Canadian charitable organizations to support humanitarian and early recovery assistance to people affected by the earthquake in Haiti on January 12^th.

"Many Canadians are deeply concerned about the suffering and loss of life as a result of this catastrophe in Haiti," said Minister Oda. "Canadian citizens have shown time and again their generosity with countries in urgent need, and our government is prepared to match their contributions dollar for dollar."

The Government of Canada will match the contributions of individual Canadians to eligible Canadian charitable organizations in support of humanitarian and recovery efforts in response to the earthquake in Haiti, up to a total of $50 million. The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) will allocate these funds to Canadian and international humanitarian and development organizations.

Donations made by individual Canadians to eligible Canadian charitable organizations over the period of January 12 to February 12, 2010 will be matched by the Government of Canada through the CIDA-managed Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund. The Fund will support Canadian and international humanitarian and development organizations with significant in-country capacity to deliver humanitarian, early recovery and reconstruction assistance in Haiti.

Check this link for FAQs and further info regarding the Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund: http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/acdi-cida/ACDI-CIDA.nsf/eng/ANN-114115719-MVV

Haiti.......How to help

For those readers interested in helping the victims of Haiti's earthquake here is some info from Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (http://international.gc.ca)

The best way to help: Donate money - not clothing or food - to experienced humanitarian organizations

Why should you donate cash instead of goods?

Because cash donations are quick, efficient and adaptable

• Cash donations are the fastest, most efficient way to get help to people living in a disaster zone. They allow relief agencies to purchase quickly supplies based on the specific needs of the affected population.
• Cash donations allow relief agencies to purchase goods and services in the affected country or neighbouring areas. Your financial contribution, in other words, is helping to 1) get aid to affected populations as quickly as possible, and 2) regenerate the local economy, which may have been seriously affected by the disaster.
• In most cases, it is more cost-effective to purchase goods locally than to airlift supplies from far away, as fuel and aircraft costs can be very high. In addition, local goods can be purchased in much less time than it takes to organize the logistics of an airlift from a distant country.
• Culturally familiar goods can respond to humanitarian needs, as well as provide a small sense of comfort or normalcy to traumatized and displaced populations, which foreign, unfamiliar goods may not.

The following is a list of reputable aid organizations currently seeking cash donations for relief efforts in earthquake-ravaged Haiti. Donations can be made at the web pages or by calling the
appropriate phone numbers.

Canadian Red Cross (www.redcross.ca)
Toll Free @ 1-800-418-1111

Humanitarian Coalition (CARE Canada, Oxfam Canada, Oxfam-Quebec,Save the Children Canada) (www.thehumanitariancoalition.ca)

Plan Canada (www.plancanada.ca)

Salvation Army (www.salvationarmy.ca)
1-800-725-2769
Rogers Wireless and Bell Mobility customers can make $5 donations by texting "Haiti" to 45678.
Donations can be mailed to Army Territorial Headquarters, Canada and Bermuda, 2 Overlea Blvd., Toronto, Ontario M4H 1P4.
Donations can also be dropped off at local Salvation Army units. Specify "Haiti Earthquake Disaster Relief Fund"

Unicef Canada (unicef.ca)

World Vision Canada (worldvision.ca)